


Five Times Din Djarin Took The Jetpack

by Serenade



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Angst, Chapter 14: The Tragedy, Coda, Gen, Nightmares, Not A Fix-It, except for me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:13:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27974974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serenade/pseuds/Serenade
Summary: Din has nightmares.
Relationships: Din Djarin & Baby Yoda
Comments: 30
Kudos: 131





	Five Times Din Djarin Took The Jetpack

1.

This time he takes the jetpack.

Din snatches it from the ground and straps it onto his back. It launches him up the mountain, crossing the rocky terrain in seconds. He gets to Grogu just in time, right before the Dark Troopers land.

It makes no difference.

He has never fought battle droids like these, their inhuman strength like industrial machines. Mechanical gauntlets crush his beskar chestplate. He collapses to his knees, struggling to draw breath, while Grogu cries out piteously.

And then he wakes up.

2.

This time he takes the jetpack.

It makes no difference.

The Dark Troopers try to shoot him from the sky, and Din tries to evade their shots. There are four of them and one of him. They come at him from all directions. He has to be careful not to hit Grogu. They have to be careful of nothing.

A direct hit on the jetpack. It explodes into flame and smoke.

And then he wakes up.

3.

This time he takes the jetpack.

It makes no difference.

Din feels like he is moving in slow motion. The jetpack was designed for combat, not for pursuit. The Dark Troopers accelerate away, their rocketboots in turbo mode. Grogu grows smaller and smaller, a speck vanishing into the distance.

Din is lost in the clouds, blindly seeking, blindly scanning. Nothing.

And then he wakes up.

4.

This time he takes the jetpack.

It makes no difference.

Din follows the Dark Troopers into the sky, determined not to lose their trail. He has already used up too much fuel, but he ignites another charge in the engine, for another burst of speed. He ignores the alarm warning him about cooldown time. He has no time.

The jetpack sputters.

There is a moment when he is hanging in mid air, arms stretched out to Grogu rising out of reach. The weight of gravity is nothing compared to the weight of despair.

And then he wakes up.

5.

This time he takes the jetpack.

It makes all the difference.

They speed away from the Dark Troopers, so far and so fast no one can catch them. Din cradles Grogu close, keeping him shielded from the wind. "I promised I'd protect you, didn't I?"

Grogu makes a contented sound. He gazes up at Din, the whole world reflected in his eyes, and Din feels like his heart is so full it might burst--

And then he wakes up, to empty silence, a choked sob in his throat.

If only. If only. If only.

"Hey," Cara says, leaning in the doorway. "You okay? That sounded like a bad one."

"Yeah," Din says. "It was."


End file.
